Accessories for Traditional Archery

Our expert staff will help you choose the best equipment for your needs and budget.

➥ The necessary equipment for archery sports (after a bow and arrows) are:

Targets are one of the three prerequisites to the sport of archery (the other two being a bow and arrows).

There are actually two parts to the target: the target back (the thick area that the arrow sinks into, which can be Styrofoam, straw or other fiber) and the target face made of paper, woven cloth, canvas or Tyvek, which is decorated with rings or other images for scoring.

The target face is pinned on the target back and is changed as needed. Target faces cost from $1.25 each for 16" printed paper to $50.00 and up for fitted Tyvek models.

Quivers come in many shapes and materials. The simple purpose of a quiver is to carry arrows. Storage of arrows is also the task of a quiver.

Safety is enhanced by a quiver too, as the arrows are neatly tucked away until ready for shooting. Carrying loose arrows can be hazardous for anyone, but especially for children. These handy arrow holders come in shoulder, hip and back and ground models. Bow quivers are useful for hunters or prolonged practice.

Armguards are an important (but not essential) accessory for successful archery. The purpose of an armguard is to protect the inner-lower bow holding arm from potential injury due to string slap at the time of arrow release.

Anyone who has ever felt the sting and burn of a bowstring will remember how it feels. Avoidance of injury is important for children (as it is for adults, too) and so an armguard is recommended.

Gloves and Finger tabs serve to protect the hand from the repetitive pressure of the bowstring against the soft inner finger.The choice of fingertab or glove is a matter of personal preference and is not essential gear for archery, but they can certainly make the sport more enjoyable.A fingertab ("Tab") is simply a piece of leather with a hole cut in it and shaped to drape evenly over the surface of the inner hand where it meets the bow string.They are made in small, medium and large sizes and a variety of thickness and materials.See How to Use a Finger Tab

Both the shooting glove and the fingertab are worn on the hand the pulls the string and come in many sizes and styles. Personal choice determines which is best for you.

Bow Stringers are simply made and simple to use. The purpose of a Bow Stringer is to pull the bow limbs forward evenly and allow for easier application of the string to the tips. They are constructed of 2 leather pieces and some strong, thin rope.The leather pieces are each folded over to create a pocket and then securely attached to either end of the rope.

A Bow Stringer is highly recommended for all wooden Recurves and Longbows. They not only make stringing the bow much easier and prevents twisting and damage to the limbs, but most importantly, it is the SAFEST way.

A bow stringer is ABSOLUTELY necessary with a flat-limbed wooden bow in order to avoid twisting the limbs with other methods of stringing (such as the "step-through" method) which will ruin a bow.